Far Western Province and local governments have been working for the prevention of global pandemic (COVID-19) effects on its territories. INSEC province office has summarized the updated situation of the region, preparation of the government in local and province level, and challenges.
According to Kailai District Representative Mainamoti Chaudhary, Seti Provincial Hospital has started coronavirus testing as the federal government provided RTPCR equipment on April 2. Laboratory In-charge Ramesh Shahi has informed that since April 3, the hospital has started laboratory testing of coronavirus disease in suspected cases. Through this equipment, it no longer requires sending test sample to Kathmandu, and the result is obtained within 10 minutes.
Families of daily wage earners and marginalized community people are provided food items through local governments in Kailali.
According to Darchula District Representative Narendra Karki, about 500 Nepalese are stranded in Dharchula, a town of India, as the Nepal-India border has remained closed owing to the nationwide lockdown imposed to control the coronavirus outbreak. Although the government of India has quarantined them in Pithauda District’s Mahavidhalaya in Baluwakot, there have been complaints against the treatment of Indian authorities. They are requesting to the Government of Nepal to rescue and provide them quarantine facilities in Nepal.
Indian and Nepalese governments have agreed that if Indians citizens are stranded in Nepal, then Nepal will have to provide them with quarantine facilities and vice-versa. Therefore, Pithauda District authority in India is providing quarantine shelter to Nepalese people.
Darchula district’s local governments have established quarantine shelters in each ward and started an awareness-raising campaign to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Health institutions in R/municipalities have decided to run 24-hour health service, and grocery shops are open from 7 to 10 in the morning. Likewise, local governments’ meetings have decided to provide 50% to 75% allowances to health personnel working during the pandemic, free ambulance service, and 1.2 million NRS emergency fund.
Mahakali municipality information officer Yuvraj Joshi has informed that 28 migrant workers who were stranded at the border, swam across the Mahakali River to get to Nepal. They all are kept under quarantine.
A petition has been filed against the government’s denial to receive Nepalese citizens through various borders of the country.
According to District Representative of Doti Basudev Joshi reported that district lockdown against COVID-19 have been fully implemented. Coronavirus test for suspected 3 cases have resulted in negative and a case report is yet to come. According to Joshi, the district is lacking PPE equipment for health workers. To avoid food scarcity, as Chief District Officer Teknarayan Poudel ordered, food items are being distributed in rural areas. Shops are opened from 7 to 10 am and 5 to 7 pm while keeping social distancing.
Local governments have been collecting data of the people who have returned to Nepal due to Coronavirus. Essential goods are being provided to daily wage workers and marginalized community people. In Bogatan Fundsin Rural Municipality and Saile Rural Municipality, 5 million and 3 million NRs emergency funds have been established. Through local governments, necessary equipment such as face masks, hand wash and soaps are being distributed. To protect and promote health personnel, insurance and promotional allowances have been allocated.
According to Baitadi District Representative Nari Badu reports that although lockdown has strictly complied in highway and market areas, it is not the case in rural areas. District’s 10 local governments have established 702 quarantine shelters but only 317 India-returnee migrant workers are staying in quarantine and following quarantine procedures.
On April 1, 37 Nepalese crossed the Mahakali River in Surkhet by using a tire tube to enter into Nepal. Rural Municipality Chairperson has informed that they were checked for corona-virus by rural municipality and they are being prepared to be sent to their respective villages. Indian government has provided quarantine facilities to 227 Nepalese citizens in Julaghat Border who could not enter into Nepal due to the lockdown.
In Sigash Rural municipality where road facilities are lacking, two helipads have been built for COVID-19 related emergencies.
Food scarcity could be a major issue in the district if the lockdown is extended. Besides, District Hospital Doctor Bashanta Raj Joshi has informed that insufficient PPE equipment for health workers have caused problems to providing health services.
According to Dadeldhura District Representative Bhupendra Bista, Amargadhi Municipality has provided a set of PPE equipment, an N-95 and 10 surgical masks to District Blood Bank. In Ajayameru Rural Municipality, Community Forest Group has provided soaps and masks to their beneficiaries. Group chairperson Bharat Sharki has informed that a total of 4,944 pieces of mask and soap were provided to 824 people, which calculates to about 6 pieces of mask and soap for each person.
DSP Dadiram Neupane has informed that 31 motorcyclists who had violated lockdown rules were arrested from Bagbajar, Tuphan Danda and Shyaule areas on April 2. They were released after they had agreed to comply with the lockdown rules and follow safety measures against coronavirus.
Bajura’s District Representative Padam Bahadur Dhami has reported that only the main market areas are on lockdown whereas the rural areas are not complying the lockdown rules. As Chief District Officer (CDO) Ganga Prasad Neupane informs, despite the lock down people are still entering from other districts.
Two isolation beds in district hospital Martadi, 10 in district coordination committee assembly hall and 2 in Kolti Primary Health Centre have been established. District hospital doctor Rupchandra Bishwokarma has said that a coronavirus suspect is kept in district hospital’s isolation shelter and a test sample is sent to Dhangadhi.
In the district, 18 quarantine shelters have been prepared, 13 people are in quarantine and about 92 people are staying in self-quarantine. Many thousands have been estimated to have entered the district, although local governments do not have the actual numbers and CDO Neupane has said that local levels are requested to collect the data. The health workers are complaining that insufficient PPE equipment has caused problems in providing health services.
According to Achham District Representative Shivaraj Dhungana, all 10 local governments of the district have been organizing awareness-raising campaigns, establishing quarantine shelters, distributing essential items, medicine and masks and establishing emergency relief funds to fight against coronavirus disease.
Mangalsen Municipality has established 53 quarantine shelters and have been distributing masks by visiting local people homes. Panchadeval Binayak Municipality is distributing masks at the ward level.
Of all the Nepalese returnees from India in Dhakari Rural Municipality, 122 were suffering from fever and cold and they are being treated in local health institutes. Bannigadhi-Jayagadh Rural Municipality Vice-Chairperson has said that 5 people who had fever, cold and cough are in treatment at Bayalpata Hospital.
Sanphe Bagar Municipality also have established quarantine shelters along with providing food and clothing for the quarantine people.
According to Kanchanpur District Representative Komal Niranjan Bhat District Coordination Committee meeting of April 3 has made 7 key decisions to help prevent and control coronavirus as well as managing lockdown. The decisions are; allow dialysis patients to visit hospitals and banks are allowed to open from 11 am to 1 pm starting from April 5 while maintaining social distancing. It also decides that local governments will establish and facilitate quarantine shelters, make mobile shops more effective at local levels to provide necessities for daily use.
To prevent spread of coronavirus, 340 beds quarantine and 25 beds isolation shelters are established in the district. Two patients who had mild fever and breathing problems are admitted to the hospital and kept in isolation beds. Although, 4,282 in total have returned from India only 38 people are staying in quarantine as informed by the District Administration Office.